Travel with Tobey and Sue: Sept. 25, 2020 - Marthasville to St. Charles, MO

We left Wilma and Wayne’s shortly after 8 this morning and headed back to the trailhead so Tobey and Phil could start their ride. With the bikes unloaded, they were ready to go about 8:30. It was only six miles to the Dutzow trailhead, so Marcia and I went ahead to the Augusta stop, only 11 miles for the guys. We had some fog as we were traveling, but fortunately, it burned off quickly and we ended up with a sunny day!

Between Dutzow and Augusta, they rode by these cool rock walls.They weren’t sure if these metal parts were from a train or if the large storage building they went by was coal storage or an elevator. Tobey thought these bluffs were really interesting, and when he stopped, he spotted a cardinal in the bushes. He was lucky enough to catch a shot of it as it took off. He told me that the bluffs were haunted and it was a ghost when he showed me the photo on his phone!!Just across the road from the Matson Trailhead is the Daniel Boone Judgment Tree Memorial. Marcia and I didn’t know we could see it was so close to the trailhead – and right along the road, so we zipped by (going 35 mph). About 2 miles down the road we found a place to turn around and go back to check it out. It is believed that Daniel Boone held court under the tree from 1800 to 1804, when he was the Spanish syndic for the Femme Osage District. In the late 1920s, lightening struck the tree and killed it. It stood until 1951 when it blew over in a huge storm. This tree was planted in memorial of the original. There were several signs telling about the tree, the history of the property, along with maps of the area. It was interesting, but I’m not sure it was worth the drive back to see it.We met the guys at Greens Bottom for lunch and a short break and were lucky enough to find shade. After a short break, they only had about six miles to go to St. Charles.We stopped at the Lewis and Clark Boat House and Museum and all went in to check it out. They played a well-done video about the Lewis and Clark expedition and had some nice displays. Lewis and Clark’s men learned how to build bullboats from the Mandans. Constructed from a lightweight wood frame, usually willow, they were small enough that the hide of one buffalo bull would cover it. During the return trip, four of Lewis and Clark’s men built two bullboats to travel down the Yellowstone River.

The 8,000 mile journey from St. Charles to the Pacific and back again took 28 months. While both Lewis and Clark kept detailed journals, Clark did most of the day-to-day mapping during the expedition. Because they were on the move most of the time, Clark was not able to take detailed measurements and used a “dead reckoning” method, estimating distance and direction. Even so, his final map was very accurate! During the expedition, Charles Floyd was the only man of the Corps of Discovery to die (probably of appendicitis). He was buried on the Missouri River at present day, Floyd’s Bluff in Sioux City, Iowa. He died on the upstream voyage in 1804.

On the ground level of the museum, they have three scale-model boats displayed. It was gated and locked, but when we walked around the building, one of the workers let us come in to see them! This is the keelboat which traveled as far as the Mandan villages in modern day North Dakota. We couldn’t get in them, but there was a ladder we could climb to look inside. He said they were getting them ready to take out for a run and filming for the museum.

Penny wanted her picture next to the statue of Seaman, Meriwether Lewis’ Newfoundland dog. Seaman was famous for being the only animal to complete the entire trip.After our tour, we all got our bikes and went for a little tour of the historic downtown area of St. Charles – and Marcia and I got to ride a little on the Katy Trail!

We went by the statue of Lewis & Clark and Seaman.Missouri’s first legislators met in the buildings of the first state Capitol State Historic Site to reorganize the territorial government. The second floor of the building was divided and used as Senate and House chambers, the governor’s office, and a small meeting room. The first floor of the Peck brothers’ building housed a general store and the Ruluff Peck’s family residence! We rode up and down the brick streets looking at the old buildings which now house businesses and restaurants.We headed back to the Museum parking lot about 5pm and with the police’s permission, we are parking here tonight.